This holiday cranberry mojito is made with mint, lime, rum, and homemade cranberry syrup. It’s refreshing, festive, and perfect for winter gatherings.

Two glasses of mint cranberry cocktail garnished with lime slices, fresh cranberries, and mint. A refreshing holiday cocktail and festive drink for winter gatherings.

As the holidays get closer, I love making festive drinks for parties. My go-to cocktails are usually a pomegranate Moscow mule or grapefruit margarita, but this cranberry mojito has become a new favorite.

It’s a simple twist on the classic mojito, with a sweet-tart cranberry syrup that adds bright color and flavor.

Recipe Highlights

  • Party perfect: A colorful cocktail that brings cheer to your holiday table and scales easily for a crowd.
  • Make-ahead friendly: The cranberry syrup can be prepared in advance.
  • Simple: No fancy tools needed, just a saucepan and a muddler (or wooden spoon).

Key Ingredients & Easy Swaps

  • Cranberries: Fresh or frozen, both work. Thaw frozen cranberries before using.
  • Sugar: Can be swapped with honey.
  • Mint leaves: Spearmint is classic, but mojito mint is milder if you find it.
  • Lime juice: Freshly squeezed is best. Orange juice also pairs nicely with cranberries.
  • White rum: Go with a good-quality silver or light rum. For a mocktail, replace with sparkling water.
  • Sparkling water: Any plain sparkling water or club soda is fine.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make a Cranberry Mojito

  1. Make the cranberry simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water.
    Simmer until the cranberries are soft and the sugar dissolves. Let it cool, then strain.
  2. Muddle and mix: Add the mint leaves and lime juice to a jar or shaker and muddle gently to release the oils. Pour in the cranberry syrup and white rum. Stir to combine.
  3. Assemble the drink: Fill a glass with ice, pour in the mixture, and top with sparkling water. Garnish with cranberries, lime, and fresh mint.

No muddler? The end of a wooden spoon works just as well.

Serving Ideas

  • Single servings: Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint, fresh cranberries, and a slice of lime.
  • For a crowd: Double or triple the recipe and serve from a pitcher or punch bowl.
  • Food pairings: Pairs well with festive appetizers like cranberry brie bites, stuffed mushrooms, or mozzarella pinwheels.

Elena’s Tips

  • Use fresh cranberries: Fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries give the syrup its bright flavor. Skip cranberry juice for the best results.
  • Muddle gently: Lightly press the mint to release its oils. Avoid over-crushing, which can make the drink bitter.
  • Adjust sweetness: Start with less cranberry syrup and taste as you go. Add more only if you prefer a sweeter cocktail.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Make-ahead: This cocktail tastes best freshly mixed, but you can prepare the cranberry syrup and squeeze the lime juice ahead of time. When ready to serve, simply muddle the mint, mix everything together, and finish with sparkling water.

Cranberry syrup: Store leftover syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Be sure to strain out the cranberry solids before storing.

Christmas mojito served in short glasses with fresh mint, cranberries, and lime. A vibrant winter mojito and easy rum cocktail perfect for the holidays.

More Seasonal Recipes

If you’ve made this festive cranberry rum cocktail, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.

Two glasses of cranberry mojito garnished with a lime slice, fresh cranberries, and a sprig of mint.
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How To Make It: Holiday Cranberry Mojito

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Servings: 2
(5 stars) 2 ratings
This festive drink is a fresh twist on the classic mojito, made with mint, lime, white rum, and a homemade cranberry syrup. It’s light, refreshing, and easy to make. Perfect for any holiday gathering.

Ingredients

For the cranberry simple syrup

  • 8 oz (225 g) fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

For the mojito

  • 20 fresh mint leaves
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 4 oz (120 ml) cranberry simple syrup
  • 4 oz (120 ml) white rum
  • ice cubes
  • 4 oz (120 ml) sparkling water

Garnish (optional)

  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Fresh cranberries
  • Lime slices

Equipment

Instructions

Make the cranberry syrup

  1. In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, water, and sugar.
    Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
  2. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the cranberries soften and the sugar is dissolved.
    Let the syrup cool completely.
  3. Strain, pressing on the cranberries to extract as much juice as possible. Discard or reserve the solids for another use.

Muddle and mix

  1. Muddle 10 mint leaves with 1½ tablespoons lime juice in a jar or shaker.
    Add 2 ounces (60 ml) of cranberry syrup and 2 ounces (60 ml) of white rum. Stir to combine.

Assemble

  1. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the mojito mix, and top with 2 ounces (60 ml) of sparkling water.
    Garnish with mint leaves, fresh cranberries, and a lime slice.

Notes

  • Cranberries: Fresh or frozen, both work. Thaw frozen ones before using.
  • Rum: Choose a good-quality white (silver or light) rum.
  • Mocktail option: Skip the rum and use extra sparkling water.
  • No muddler? Use the end of a wooden spoon to muddle the mint and lime.
  • Storage: Cranberry syrup keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 glass, Calories: 240 kcal, Carbohydrates: 27.9 g, Protein: 0.2 g, Sodium: 4 mg, Fiber: 1.3 g, Sugar: 26 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Drink
Cuisine: cuban